Within Reasonable Doubt
by The Lillie
Summary: Distrust has been festering for a while now; Bismuth's disappearance only heightens it. Oneshot centering on Biggs and Snowflake.


She heard the warp activate, loud and clear despite the distance, and flinched. She'd been hoping nobody would intrude on this, at least for a few hours.

"Snowflake?"

She loosened a little at the voice. Biggs. At least it wasn't Garnet or Pearl or–or Rose.

Biggs quickened her pace, her footsteps becoming louder as she drew nearer. Snowflake hunched her shoulders and folded her arms around herself as Biggs approached.

"Hey," Biggs said softly. "You alright?"

Snowflake sniffed and pushed some hair out of her face. "Fine."

"Garnet said to come find you here and try bringing you back." Biggs sat beside her on the ground. " 'We don't know yet whether Homeworld's forces will try to retake the Ziggurat.' "

Snowflake stifled a snort at the poor imitation of Garnet's accent.

"Well, I'm not going back to the base for a while," Snowflake murmured.

Biggs shrugged. "I know. That's why I'm just sittin' here."

"Hm."

Snowflake ran her hand through the grass, gaze low. Maybe if she just pretended Biggs wasn't there for a little while, she'd really go away. It wasn't that she disliked the other Gem's presence, of course, she just–she just would rather be alone right now.

That was a lie, she realized, as she said it to herself. She didn't want to be alone. Truly, there was one specific person she wanted to be beside her.

And that was exactly why she was alone.

Unbidden, a cry clawed at the back of Snowflake's throat and tears pushed at her eyes. She gasped in a short breath and covered her face with both hands.

Biggs jumped a little at the sudden movement. "Aw, nah, that's not fine." Her wide hands closed gently on Snowflake's shoulders as she scooted closer. "Hey, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing, nothing." Snowflake shook her head and cleared her throat, forcing her voice out of its squeak. "Nothing. Just–"

She cut herself off and shrugged Biggs' hands off her shoulders. Biggs sat back.

Snowflake hugged herself, closed her eyes, and inhaled.

"During the battle," she said. "Right when things started getting bad. Bismuth told me she needed to find Rose. She wouldn't tell me why, but the last time I saw her she was looking for Rose."

Biggs leaned forward in an attempt to see Snowflake's face a little clearer. "You don't think–you don't think Rose had anything to do with Bismuth disappearing."

It wasn't a question–it was almost an accusation. Snowflake tightened her hands around her arms, her eyelids against each other, and didn't respond.

"Because she didn't. She couldn't have. You saw how worried she was after–"

"I know, I know," Snowflake interrupted, glancing away. "It's just a little…"

She trailed off, trying to gather her thoughts. Biggs waited silently.

"It's not just the one thing," Snowflake said. "Bismuth's been...off. For weeks. She was working on something that she wouldn't tell me about, and she was always getting a little...I don't know. Uncomfortable. Around Rose."

A breeze rustled the grass around them. Snowflake dropped her hands back to the ground and grabbed a few blades, as if to keep them–or herself–from blowing away.

"All the secrets she's always keeping," Snowflake murmured. "All the lies, all the mysteries. I know she says she hides it all to protect us, but–but I think it was starting to wear on Bismuth a little, and she…" She sighed. "I don't know."

"So what, you think they had a fight or something?" Biggs interpreted.

"That's not what I said."

"It's what you were about to say. Isn't it?"

"Not–"

"No, I get it," Biggs stated, skeptical sarcasm shading her words. "You think Bismuth tried to call Rose out on whatever secrets or lies you think she's having, and so Rose silenced her. Is that it?"

Snowflake stayed quiet. As sharp and simple as her exact words were, Biggs had always had a knack for knowing exactly what her friends were thinking.

"Well, that's not what happened." Biggs stood. "Rose isn't like that. Homeworld is like that, and that's why Rose is leading the charge against them. So stop thinking like that, okay?"

Snowflake huffed and pushed herself to her feet. "Never mind. I'm going back to the base."

"Snowflake, listen to me. Rose did not kill Bismuth."

Again Biggs' hand was on her shoulder, again she shrugged it off.

"She didn't. You know she didn't."

"How do we know, though?" Snowflake argued, not turning around or slowing her pace. "How can we know anything for sure about Rose?!"

"Because we know her, and we know she wouldn't do that!"

"But we don't know her!" Snowflake shouted, whirling to face Biggs. "The only one who really knows her is Pearl, and I bet there's plenty of things she's lying to her about, too!"

"Rose–Quartz–did not–kill–Bismuth!"

"Then who did?!"

Biggs stammered, helpless, tearing. "M-maybe she's not dead. Maybe she was just captured. Or lost."

"Then why isn't Rose looking for her anymore?" Snowflake challenged, her voice rising with every line. "Why won't Rose give any detail on how she lost her? Why doesn't Rose ever talk about herself? Why doesn't Rose tell us where her armory is? Why doesn't Rose tell us how her light cannons work? Why doesn't Rose tell us what happened to Pink Diamond?"

"Stop it!"

Snowflake fell silent.

"I don't know why. I don't know everything," Biggs declared. "But I know that I trust Rose."

Snowflake bowed her head, letting her hair fall over her face. "I don't."

A breath of wind, a little stronger than the last, bent the grass low to the earth. A few strands of hair blew into Snowflake's eyes, irritating the tears already there.

"So what are you going to do?" Biggs challenged. "Leave the Crystal Gems? Go out on your own? Leave me?"

Snowflake looked up. "No, no," she answered hurriedly.

"Call Rose out? Turn on her? Rebel against the rebel?"

"No! I just–"

Her voice cracked. Her face turned back down. The wind stopped.

"No."

She wrapped her arms around herself.

"I don't know what I'm going to do."


End file.
